Tangled

Wow!  First off- sorry for the delay in posts!  It's holiday time- so of course, life is busy.  My world is pretty preoccupied these days with projects and preparing for Christmas, etc-  but I think it's time for an update.  I am very happy to report that the Sideshow Strongman custom Vinylmation I did awhile back found a home!  Thank you to the lovely people who adopted him! :)

In addition to the Strongman, I also did this one of a kind custom Vinylmation of Disney's Rapunzel. Thanks for the pic, Destination Vinylmation!   Of course, I had to give her a frying pan (in case of ruffians and thugs)!  I'm working on possible ideas for future customs- but am juggling all of that with regular work and personal projects. I have a lot of things in the works right now and I'm excited to see how all of it turns out.  

I was recently approached by a collector about how I create my custom Vinyls. I am by no means an authority of custom toy design- but I can tell you things based on my experience.

 Let me say it's purely a matter of experimentation: trial and error.  The "error" part can be quite frustrating but you just have to stick with it until you find something that works for you.  For me- the materials I use really vary according to the subject matter. What works for one may not work for another.  I use a lot of sculpting on mine when I feel that it's appropriate- and the same goes for fabric elements, accessories, etc.  You have to go with your gut and experiment with various materials/techniques till you feel it looks right.  And it won't always work like you hoped- and that's okay! It's a learning process.  These are my standard go-to materials when working on a custom:
-A good sculpting medium and sandpaper
-Acrylic paint- usually the kind that comes in the little craft paint bottles
-A good set of paint brushes, paint markers, etc.
- A bottle of clear paint varnish to act as a protective topcoat
- Hot glue gun
- If and when appropriate- fabric, ribbon, faux fur, etc.

You should pick the subject matter that speaks to you- and seems like something fun to create.  From there, decide what materials you want to work with.  Do you sculpt on it?  Simply paint on the form?  Mixed media? Do you use beads or any of the other art materials out there?  I really think the possibilities are endless and that's part of the fun!

More paintings

These are all older paintings of mine that are part of the collection I'm sorting through.  This was a fun way to paint and I do plan to do more paintings like this- especially since now I know how to make them better.  No, they don't necessarily have a political statement to make.  I paint what I want- whether it's to express myself or just for the fun of it.  I want to get back into the habit of painting on a regular basis on the side--  but some days I feel like painting scenes/portraits- and some days I feel like painting the more abstract, funky, retro content as seen in these pictures.   All of these images are oil on canvas.  I like to experiment with pastels, acrylics, etc- but oil is my preferred medium when painting on canvas.  I tend to save acrylics for mixed media pieces. 

 If anyone is ever interested in commissioned pieces, please PM me.  I'm happy to do commissions as long as it does not include copyrighted characters or custom Vinylmation figures.

Alice

I've been going through storage and sorting through older paintings of mine.  This one was inspired by "Alice in Wonderland". Oil on canvas.

Super Duper!

Sometimes you just feel great for no particular reason... even "super duper".  This is a little something I did for fun.  Enjoy!

Straight from the Disney Vinylmation Blog

I hope to have more pictures to share soon, but look what popped up on the official Disney Vinylmation blog!  It's a peek at my next custom Vinylmation- due for release this September at the Florida Project!

Dark Passenger

Meet Dexter Morgan. I'm not really happy with the pose here, so I may come back to it- but this was just meant to be a quick sketch while I was taking a break and enjoying part of season 5. Plus I feel like I really, REALLy need to post something.  It can be really frustrating to draw human characters so the more practice, the better.

Bit of a delay in posts...

Sorry for the delay in posts, folks.  Life has been busy.  I spent some time out in California at my very first San Diego Comic Con.  Now I'm hooked for life!  I met some amazing people, including several artists who inspire me.  I got to hang out with good friends, learn some stuff, and I got to fill my time with lots and lots of nerdy bliss. :)  It was awesome!

I realize I haven't posted much but I'm trying to get back into it.  I'm spending a chunk of my time trying to get back into my routine and any free time is spent working on a few side projects.  Bear with me, please!

Pirates of the Caribbean

Sorry for the delay in posts!  Life has been very busy.  Even though these aren't sketches- they started out that way.  These are two of my newest custom Vinylmations- shown with their packaging.  I did these for the July release party for Casey Jones' Pirates of the Caribbean Vinylmation series.  Both of these figures are 9" and completely hand made.  The top image of the skeleton at the helm is the first custom I've done that has no sculpted elements.  In the future- I will still do sculpted elements on some customs when appropriate to the theme, but I also plan to do custom pieces that are completely hand painted.

These are the full turnaround images of each custom piece.  Every time I work on one of these- it's fun but also very challenging.  I tend to experiment with a variety of mixed media- and it often means learning from mistakes.  Like many projects- it's not always smooth sailing.  Some come easier than others but it's very challenging (and sometimes frustrating) to try to make a hand crafted item match the idea in your head.  Experimenting (and patience) is the only way to truly know what does and does not work with these pieces.

Hiya Puddin'!

This isn't all that new, but I just realized I never posted it.  I ADORE Harley Quinn- and I really like this style I did- so since I'm gearing up for Comic Con- here she is!  I promise Harley will make apprearances here and there on the blog- as she's one of my favorite characters.  Of course- I don't own the rights to Harley.  She belongs to DC Comics (and Mr. J) and I only do these types of doodles for the fun of it.  Ok- enough legal chatter!

"Do ye fear death? Ah-hyuck!"

Yo-ho, yo-ho! A pirate's life for me!  Pirates are fun to draw- and I seem to have them on my mind lately- so here's Goofy in a menacing pose.  Gawrsh! Image is ©DISNEY and may not be used without permission.

New sketches!

It's been a little while since my last post.  Something is really nice about getting out the pencil and paper and doing a little sketching.  It's fun to challenge myself with new poses and just have fun with sketching.

Best Buddies

Today I just felt like doing something cute and fun- and I thought "Best Buddies" would be a good theme. Of course- here's a stylized illustration of Ariel with her BFF, Flounder! This was fun to do.
I might have to do more illustrations with this theme in mind.

More Sketches...

Pretty self explanatory- just sketching for the fun/practice. Plus it's HOT outside!  Pluto is one HOT DOG! Whew! Happy holiday weekend, everyone!

Sketches

Manatee...

This sketch isn't new- but it isn't that old either.  This is just a cute little manatee I wanted to draw.  I still need to make it out to Animal Kingdom and do some quick sketches of the animals.  All of the ones I've done lately come out looking very cartoony.  Not complaining!  I think the day I drew this- I was having a very "Chuck Jones" kind of day.

Tiki, tiki, tiki room...

I LOVE tikis!  And I think I'm in need of a trip to the Polynesian and/or Adventureland.  A fun filled Jungle Cruise may be in order...

Sorcerer's Apprentice- Rendering

It's not done- but this is rendering I'm doing for fun, practice... all of the above.  This will probably change a bit yet- but I think this is a great start. ©DISNEY

Painting class

I can go on and on about the importance of continuing to learn/grow as an artist.  I've been taking a painting class at Crealde.  (I highly recommend it!)  No matter how long I'm in the business- there are going to be things I can learn.  I took this class to get back to some basic fundamentals and work out some issues I've been having... and it's really nice to get back into a classroom environment, get some instruction and learn new ways of doing things.  This is one of the oil paintings I did in the class.  I got a lot out of the class and I'm hoping that with the new perspective, I'll be ready to come back to the other things on my "backburner list".  That list never seems to get any shorter- but that's the nature of creativity.  It's challenging but rewarding to balance work with all of the tutorials, paintings, and other personal projects and general practice that I need to help me grow.  On a side note... I can't remember the last time I painted on a canvas this small!  This weekend, I have some sketching to do- but I need to schedule time to just paint... no matter what the subject matter is.

Revised Stitch

I wasn't completely happy with the Stitch rendering I did before.  While this one still needs some tweaking- I feel like it's going in a better direction.  I keep looking at this and one thought keeps popping up... I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THIS!!! :D

This weekend...

Here's a couple of sketches I did first thing this morning to loosen up and have a little fun.  I woke up today thinking about what I might want to do this weekend.  Sure- there's normal errands and such... but I'm thinking I'm in need of two things right now... a beach day- and lots of time spent sketching.  Good times, right?  So... surf and sun- here I come!  Then later... lots and lots of sketching!

Monkey see...

I think I need a day of drawing at Disney's Animal Kingdom...  I've been in the mood to draw animals lately.  If only they would hold still...  I think I know what I'll be doing this weekend!

Look at this stuff... isn't it neat?

Yes, I've been watching a lot of The Little Mermaid lately, and yes- I'm a really big nerd.  I think it's really important to surround yourself with things that inspire you.  This is where you'll find me most of the time... in my home studio.  If I'm not in front of my Mac or standing in front of an easel- I'm usually hunched over my most prized possession: my Animation Desk.  Add to that a bunch of maquettes, pins, Vinylmation, toys and assorted animation art- and you've got my studio.  You're bound to feel inspired with all of that good stuff around you, right?  I'll be there drawing away or cleaning things up/designing on my Mac- listening to Cartoon Network or whatever film playing in the background- and  I'll get into such a groove that I don't even notice how fast 8-12 hours go by. I guess that's what happens when you're doing something you love. <3

Stitch!

Who doesn't love coloring?  Am I right?  I decided to do some rendering just for the fun of it.  Once I start, I really get into it.  Now I want to do more of it!

Blast from the past...

I promise to get to posting newer art, but for now I wanted to take a look at some old paintings of mine. When you look at older things you've done- if you've learned anything from your experiences, there are going to be things you'd change.  There are absolutely things I'd do differently with these paintings... but I do like the playful/retro feel of them. Knowing what I'd do differently- I have considered doing paintings like this again on the side.

Tinker Bell

"Tinker Bell" - Chalk Pastel on Paper

It's nice to do stuff just for the experience/fun of doing it.  I work both traditionally and digitally- but everything starts with a sketch on paper.  I like to constantly experiment with new materials and techniques.  I enjoy painting, but it can be such a huge investment of time- especially since I tend to work on a larger scale.  When I have a little time but want to do something colorful and experiment- I break out the chalk pastels, crayons,  whatever is nearby! These pieces usually either end up on my own walls or in a large portfolio case in my home office- but they're fun to do.  Working with chalk pastels is different from any other medium I work with.  I'm not trying to make things look too real or painterly.  I just go with it and see what happens.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" - chalk pastel on paper.

The Voodoo Lounge

Welcome to the Voodoo Lounge!  I've been going through a lot of older art lately.  These are from a personal project I did awhile back. (All rights reserved)  The more experience I get, the more I learn- so it's nice to look back on the past and sometimes I find myself updating old art with new techniques I've learned.  I think this art will always have a special meaning to me.

Welcome Foolish Mortals...

As a freelance artist, I have the opportunity to work on a lot of interesting projects.  Of all the pins I've done, these are some of my favorites. I got the idea while I was out and around at the parks. I was in the stretching room of the Haunted Mansion and "BING!"- idea!!  That night, I immediately began sketching these out.  I enjoy anything that gives me the opportunity to stretch my legs and I love drawing the Disney characters. I also believe in looking at life with a sense of humor- so if I can combine those things- it's a win!

Vinylmation

I've already posted my one of a kind Vinylmation figures, but here are some of the ones I've done for general releases as a freelancer.  This hobby is a lot of fun.  It's challenging but exciting to see how the art translates on the form.

Happy Birthday, Batman!

It's a little belated, but what kind of geek would I be if I didn't celebrate Batman's birthday? Sometimes it's really nice to do a quick sketch just for fun- and I do have a special love for Harley Quinn. :)  Happy Birthday, Bat-brain!

Logo work

Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore retro artwork.  This is a logo I did awhile back.  It's a lot of fun to get to work on things like this from time to time.

Vinylmation One-of-A-Kinds

I love doing freelance work for Disney Design Group.  I do a lot of pins but I've also had the opportunity to do artwork for Vinylmation figures.  Many are mass produced but I've also been able to do one of a kind figures as pictured here.  The Tiki and Scarecrow designs are my favorites, but each one has been a lot of fun to do and I hope to do many more. All images are ©DISNEY.

New blog

Hi, everyone!  So many of my friends have portfolio blogs and I decided to give it a shot.  If anything, it'll inspire me to do even more drawing, painting, designing- and that's a good thing! The blog is under construction so please bear with me while I get it up and running.

A little information about me... I'm a freelance graphic artist/illustrator in Orlando.  I do a lot of freelance work for Disney Theme Park Merchandise- and I love it!  I draw, I paint, I do a lot of design work on the ol' Mac... and I'm always looking to learn something new and keep growing. Thanks for looking and stay tuned for new additions!